Hidden Before Their Eyes

Chapter 22: Wanted Posters

A few blows was all it took to take down Mike. He was clearly all talk, Yara could wipe the floor with his easily, get this guy teaches a level higher in fighting level, supposedly. Then again with how easy that was he might just be teaching the succubi to rely on their magic. Which is wrong, just look at me as an example. If they were to loose their magic or find it ineffective as the girl had earlier, they are left helpless.

I wipe at the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth and storm away from the useless man at my feet. Sure it hurt like hell when he did manage to hit, but he only caught me off guard once.

I relieve Erphi from Ealric and stay back I silently watch everyone else as they have their own fights, their own duels. Some last a while, others which are unmatched end quickly in crushing defeat. The way the succubi face each other quickly give away their weaknesses, individually and of being a succubus in of itself. I honestly cannot wait to get out of here, had I known this is what I was coming back to I would have preferred to stay on the quest for much longer, with Codra, Cora, Pavlios, and even Dracix as my company.

Somehow as a group we had just clicked together and it had worked like a well oiled machine, as though we had always been working together. However, wether I like it or not, that has come to a close and who knows how long it will be before I may see any of them again.

That night at dinner my eyes land on two people I had not expected to see up here. Maris and Hak, the succubus and incubus that had fallen to the human level for quite a while if I do say so myself. Hak was not that far of a reach but to what I had known Maris had long been stuck on the human level.

I go over to them and give Maris a light hug when greeting her. Excitedly she begins telling me about how she had finally managed to make her way back up to this level. The smile on her face as contagious. Even Ealric and Lily, who where frankly uncomfortable, could not resist smiling along with the rest of us.

"What's that they are putting up on the wall?" Hak interrupts, squinting at the wall next to the doors.

In unison we all turn to look and after squinting slightly I instantly recognize that poster. My damned wanted poster has made its way into the Academy as well now. Slowly in small groups everyone starts checking out the poster, and the gossip roars as they return to their tables and food.

As we wait I shove down the rest of my food, knowing all too well have have no such appetite for it any longer. I am long since done, having eaten a bit quickly, when as a group we stand and head towards the wanted poster. As I read the words on it my stomach churns.

"It has been discovered that Esklan, betrothed to the heir to the kingdom, is currently residing within the Acadmey's walls," Maris starts to read. "Upon being informed that a sorcerer has physically altered her appearance and that she lacks magic we are sending out this notice. All humans, male and female, are to willingly submit to a dispelling ritual."

I harshly swallow and I feel my eyes widen ever so slightly. This cannot be a good sign. I cannot be revealed by something like this, especially now. I have managed to get so far and I feel as though what I am grasping for is just out of reach.

"Does it say when we have to get this done?" Lily asks, confused.

We all stair at the paper and eventually Maris concludes, "Well no."

"Good, I'm not doing it," she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What something you're hiding?" Hak asks hostile.

"Break it up," I snap. "It does not matter anyways, once they find her they will stop this inquisition anyways."

Soon we move away and I excuse myself, using my already cleared plate as my excuse. With a quick pace I slip into my room and dive for the chest in the corner. I dig through my bag and pull out the box from Kalvik. He may be nosey but I need to figure a way out of this.